Lamotrigine and Rash: What Users Say

• Jan...
• March 2, 2021

For Anxiety "I started on lamictal as I have bad mood swings, depression, severe anxiety, and OCD type thoughts. This medication was a lifesaver, I thought. I started at 25mg and noticed very positive changes. My anxiety got better. When I went to 37.5mg, my anxiety stopped, OCD thoughts stopped, and depression stopped. I was so happy I thought I found the medication for me. When I went up to 50 mg, I got a small rash, my anxiety and thoughts spiraled out of control, my depression worsened, and I felt suicidal. Now I am trying to get off the medication. I’m very sad. Has this happened to anyone else?"

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 6, 2020

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Seizure Prevention "My sister died today due to side effects from this drug. It is ruthless. She lost 2 layers of skin over 90% of her body as it caused Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis. She was bandaged from head to toe and blood seeping through the bandages. Though claimed this outcome is rare. I encourage you to consider other options. My sister was healthy and today lost her life due to the side effects of this drug that should not be on the market. Think twice."

• Oty...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2019

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "I went my whole life undiagnosed with symptoms that started at 4 years old. I’ve suffered every day. Within 3 days of taking Lamictal, my mind was quiet and rational, and my body felt as if a soothing balm had spread over my nerves. I’m able to focus and concentrate. My anxiety is gone. I could go on and on. Everything is better. I could not be more grateful. I’ve been on it now for 3 weeks at 50mg, and life is good. I don’t ever want to be without it. If I get a rash, I’ll rock a rash because I’m not going back!"

• 10s...
• December 17, 2020

For Anxiety "Truly life changing! I started taking lamotrigine when I had intense anxiety and some depression. After around a month, I started feeling more moments of happiness, and now almost two years down the line, I feel like I am living a different life! Not everything is perfect of course, and I still have anxiety, but it is not a crushing feeling of doom. I look forward to things in life again! I would recommend trying it to anyone who has tried multiple medications and hasn’t found something that helped. Just be careful starting it and make sure to watch out for the rash! Odds are you will be totally fine, I had zero side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 5, 2018

For Anxiety "The only thing I've tried that's helped my anxiety and not had debilitating side effects. You have to slowly ramp up the dose to avoid the potential rash. 25mg, then 50mg, then 100mg, etc. It's also a bit stimulating for a few days whenever you increase the dose, and this can manifest in anxiety if you're not moving around. But I can say that this drug is great - it helps all of my co-morbid symptoms to some degree - anxiety, bipolar, mood, etc. I'm now on 300mg extended-release and feeling a lot better than I did before I started this. It brought my anxiety from an 8 down to a 5, I'd say, which still isn't great but I'm actually functional now. Been taking about four months."

• Nic...
• March 9, 2013

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "Depression ever since I can remember. Had 15 good years on Prozac, but it stopped working. Have been trying all kinds of antidepressants & in December I was put on Lamictal. Worked up to 100 mg, stayed on for a while, not much happening - thought it was just another med that wasn't going to work. My doc said the 'therapeutic' dose so am slowly titrating up to 200 mg - currently at 175/day. Just yesterday I think I started feeling the miracle of Lamictal kicking in! Yesterday and today I have felt better than I have felt in soooooo long - don't stop before the miracle happens (unless you have bad side effects, like the rash, which thankfully I do not have). I want to shout my gratefulness from the rooftops!"

• Ans...
• March 3, 2017

For Anxiety "I suffered for 39 years of chronic anxiety. I've taken many meds (SSRIs, benzos), CBT, meditation, etc. They helped to a certain extent but the crippling anxiety was always there, waiting for me every morning. Anxiety affected everything in my life: the job I did, the women I dated, the manner I interacted with others, and many other aspects of my life. Then I tried lamotrigine and once I reached 100 mg, I felt normal for the first time in my life. This is a miracle drug. I'm currently taking 300 mg. I had a rash when I was on 100 mg. Many people overreact and stop taking it, thinking their skin is going to fall off. I just went back to 75 mg for a few more weeks and slowly increased the dose without any issues. 99.9% of the rash is innocuous."

• Ken...
• May 19, 2008

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "I have been on medication for 9 years now. I have tried over 30 medications for my bipolar, anxiety, PTSD, and have found Lamictal as the only medication that helped me. I am very medication sensitive, so I did get the rash with Lamictal and still took it for 4 years until the rash ended up being too much. I have now tried 6 more medications and have not found any that help without huge side effects. I would say it was a miracle medication for me, and I truly miss it."

• The...
• August 7, 2013

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "Lamictal has been the most all-round effective medication I have taken, and that is saying a lot for a patient of 40 years. What I mean by that is my system rejected all antidepressants and antipsychotics because of a side effect called Akathesia. I sustained on lithium and Klonopin alone for a long time. Back then, doctors were scared to death of Lamictal because of the rash that few to none got when properly prescribed. I couldn't find one to prescribe so I got it from my family doctor. That was the best day of my life. I titrated the lithium while slowly adding the Lamictal with no problems. I have been taking 450mg a day ever since. I also noticed how badly 30 years of lithium had hurt me. I no longer knew myself."

• eri...
• August 6, 2017

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "I started Lamictal at 25 mg and was instructed to titrate up to 100 mg. As soon as I got to 50 mg, I got the rash. I was told to go back down to 25 instead of stopping completely. Two weeks later, I had a stiff neck, sore throat, burning eyes, mouth sores, and a red-purple rash that came back worse than before. I was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. The most painful thing I've ever been through! I am still recovering after being discharged from the hospital a week ago."

• ozo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 14, 2024

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "I found Lamictal while in jail from a manic episode. since starting treatment 20 years ago. I can't recall one manic episode in the last 20 years sure, I have moments where my mania tries to come out, but it gives me a second think before I fly off the handle. it hasn't done much for my depression, but it has managed my mood swings very well. follow doctor's orders. know the signs of O.D., like rash or red and blue splotches of skin. too much of this is a bad thing."

• bre...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 8, 2014

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "I have been on and off this medication for nearly 10 years, and it has been generally helpful most of the time. It takes a long time to titrate up, and there is a very specific dose that is different for everybody, but once you get it right, the medication is remarkably helpful. In my experience, it all but eradicates bipolar depression and reduces the severity of bipolar mania. Don't worry so much about the rash if you're a hypochondriac like me. 'The Rash' most likely would only be limited to mucous membranes around the eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals. One thing I should add: over time, the medication seems to lose effectiveness, and if you frequently discontinue, this effect is exacerbated. Eventually, I had to add lithium."

• mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 5, 2016

For Depression "After 10 years of having nearly every SSRI and SNRI work and then fail, I developed serotonin syndrome on a cocktail of both. I was so afraid to try any antidepressant...but my depression became life-threatening. I'm on only 50 mg of Lamictal (going slow!) for a month...and I am becoming cheerful! Amazing. I do have a slight facial rash I'm carefully watching. No other side effects."

• Edu...
• September 16, 2015

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "I have just started back on Lamictal. It made a huge difference steadying my mood, calming my anxiety, and allowing me to focus. However, it really dried me out. My skin became quite itchy and dry, and my mouth felt like a desert (bad breath followed). I felt itchy all over and ended up getting a rash on my face, which turned into a lump that had to be removed. My doctor said that I was taking too much (200 mg twice a day). I took time off Lamictal, and my moods started to fluctuate after a while (not straight away), and my partner took me aside and told me that it was time to get back on it. I have modified my dose to 2 x 50 mg, which sees me through the day and the evening, and the side effects had basically gone."

• Kir...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 10, 2017

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "I started on Lamictal after having manic episodes on Zoloft as well as Wellbutrin. I was a heavy cigarette and marijuana smoker. In the first couple of weeks of starting Lamictal, I was able to quit smoking weed and cigarettes! I didn't have insomnia as I previously did when trying to quit marijuana. My mood was much improved. I had been suicidal before, and I started exercising again on Lamictal. I developed an unknown rash about 2 years into Lamictal and stopped immediately. The rash disappeared. It looked like 8 mosquito bites all over my legs. I was forced to try Abilify, which made me gain over 40 pounds and take naps during the day. Today, I have started back on Lamictal and am back on track with exercising and enjoying life."

• Dav...
• October 24, 2016

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "I was only on this drug for a month, ramping up to 50 mg, before I developed a rash that spread all over my body, including swelling, 104° fevers, chills, and night sweats. I was hospitalized for two weeks and put on 80 mg of prednisone to try to control it until my body wouldn't metabolize that amount, and then I was put on methylprednisone. The rash took two months to go away, only after bouts of severe itching, bumps, burning, and sloughing of skin from everywhere on my body for weeks. I had to take colloidal oatmeal baths with oil several times a day just to remotely tolerate it. Unfortunately, I am one of the rare cases that has a severe, life-threatening reaction to it called D. R. E. S. S. syndrome. Careful!"

• Per...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 26, 2023

Lamictal (lamotrigine) "I have suffered from clinical depression my whole life, so I had trouble communicating with doctors because I didn't know what 'not depressed' feels like. The day after I started 25 mg Lamictal, I woke up feeling cheerful and positive - for the first time in my life, and I'm 71! I wanted to do chores and was bored just sitting around, and that's a first. Unfortunately, a few days after I titrated up to 50 mg, I got a mild rash, very itchy, and had to stop taking it. Now my psychiatrist and I are hoping to find something else that will bring back that cheerful feeling again. One thing I've learned in 30 years of psych meds, I had to persevere. There is always a solution. I have also been sober for 39 years, and nicotine-free for 30 years."

• Ali...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2019

Lamictal (lamotrigine) "I started this drug on 25 mg 2x a day, then increased to 50 mg 2x a day after the first week. After about 4 days, I woke up with a severe rash covering my entire body from head to toe. I was rushed to the ER, and they told me it could be SJS, but they didn't know, and all they could do is monitor me. I went to a dermo who took a biopsy, and the condition was an adverse reaction to the Lamictal called erythema multiforme. I am still covered in rashes, and it's the second day. I am on prednisone 60 mg for 3 days and will taper off. This drug should be illegal. I have never been more uncomfortable and in pain my entire life. I couldn't even look at myself, it was so scary. Please do not take this drug, even if you think it is going to help you. I thought it was, and I made one of the worst decisions of my life. There are other ones out there."

• Rui...
• February 1, 2017

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "I'm bipolar, and I guess for a year or two I was trying to stabilize my mood with painkillers (I've had cervical spine surgery and lung surgery, so I have access). When I started taking Lamictal, it seemed like my pain subsided, and I was able to easily quit using my medication. Also, I haven't felt a need to drink alcohol. I feel very stable, and it seems like my interests are coming back. I've taken Lamictal before for a couple of years and don't remember why I got off. The first time I took it, I got a rash, but it went away. This time, I have not experienced a rash. Taking 200 mg in the morning, 200 mg at night. Seems to be a perfect dose for me. So much easier with my business, wife, and kids. They didn't deserve my mood swings."

• Mik...
• August 7, 2019

For Depression "My depression got worse. With medication so far, the more the dose increased, the worse I felt. 25 mg and 50 mg, then, the 3rd or 4th week, I went up to 75 mg. The second day, I broke out in acne all over my face, which made me feel worse: anxiety, self-esteem, and isolating myself. I got worse, so I tapered to 50 mg, and the inside of my mouth has a rash and canker sores. It’s really irritating and painful. My doctor hasn’t answered me for over a week. I see him Thursday, I’m going to get off it as soon as possible."

• Kyl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 2, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "I’m a 22-year-old female, and I took lamotrigine for a little over a week and woke up one morning with a full-body rash from head to toe. It was extremely painful. It burned and itched severely, and my skin peeled. I was hospitalized for a week and currently, a month out of the hospital, still in outpatient care on multiple medications with liver damage."

• jdo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 2, 2015

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I've been on lamotrigine for complex PTSD for just under 3 weeks. The first two weeks I was on 50 mg, now I'm on 100 mg. Seems to be doing its job. I did have a very slight hive-like rash on the first day, both when I started and when I raised my dose, but that passed in about ten minutes. The main thing I have noticed is the racing and looping thought patterns have greatly reduced. I also have slight hyperactivity, but I just put that down to my natural self. All in all, I'm glad I finally took a medication, as in the past it was antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, which didn't help me at all."

• hop...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2014

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "Started this medicine slowly, 25 mg a day for two weeks, then went up to 50 mg for 2 weeks. Still did not feel much better, went up to 100 mg a day for 4 days, feeling lethargic. The fifth day on it, started feeling a little better. But, I started getting itchy all over and developed a very small rash on my side near my butt. My doc told me to stop it, cut the dose in half last night, and then stop. He put me on Tegretol today, taking my first dose at dinner."

• PDD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 27, 2015

Lamictal (lamotrigine) for Bipolar Disorder "Post concussion, leading to: explosive outbursts, withdrawal from activities I used to enjoy, addictive behaviors. I wasn't worried about the skin rash; the evidence is clear when slowly titrated up, the risk is low. I have experienced some cognitive sluggishness and muscle cramping at 150 mg, but they are only annoyances. The drug saved my marriage and job, allowed me to become self-reflective (rather than self-hating) again. Also, I have experienced another (very welcome!) side effect: um, er, astonishing sexual pleasure. When I told my doc about this, he smiled, said a small percentage of patients will have this 'side effect.' I'm glad I have! So, the drug has worked well for me in many regards."

• Jes...
• December 14, 2015

For Anxiety "I started taking Lamictal after going to a PHP program. This medication worked really well for me, but I was only on it for 2 months because I developed a rash and acne. It made my obsessive thoughts occur less. I was able to handle situations with more logic and fewer emotional outbursts. I mean, it truly was a great medication. However, my skin has always been clear, but it was making me break out more than I ever have in my life. I also felt like my hair was growing out thinner. If my emotions were totally out of control and life-threatening, then yes, I would have stayed on it despite the skin and hair problems. However, for me, it wasn't worth it. I would recommend at least trying it out."